Input/output system

• US 20040000542A1
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso Aircool Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Gac Corp. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Yanai, Kenichi, Nakatani, Hiroto, Takizawa, Shun, Minamiyama, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,942,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/541
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0272 For heating of fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/026 Heaters specially adapted for floor heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles

Abstract

The input/output system of the present invention includes a sheet-like input/output unit that includes wiring and a connection box that is attached to an edge of the sheet-like input/output unit. The connection box includes a housing that is attached so as to sandwich the sheet-like input/output unit and internally encloses a circuit board that is connected to the wiring. The housing includes a slit through which the sheet-like input/output unit passes and whose upper and lower edges are curved and means for fixing the sheet-like input/output unit that is disposed inside to the slit. Since the means for fixing the sheet-like input/output unit is disposed inside to the slit, the edges of the slit are narrow but formed with large radii of curvature, so that the sheet-like input/output unit is not folded over at the slit part. The slit can also be sealed by attaching packing to the edge of the slit.

Claims

1. An input/output system, comprising:

a sheet-like input/output unit that includes wiring; and

a connection box that is attached to an edge of the sheet-like input/output unit,

wherein the connection box includes a housing that is attached so as to sandwich the sheet-like input/output unit and internally encloses a circuit board that is connected to the wiring, and

the housing includes;

a slit through which the sheet-like input/output unit passes and whose upper and lower edges are curved shapes; and

means for fixing the sheet-like input/output unit that is disposed inside to the slit.

2. An input/output system according to claim 1,

wherein an edge, out of the upper and lower edges of the slit, that is above the sheet-like input/output unit is composed of a sealing part that is elastic.

3. An input/output system according to claim 1,

wherein at least one hole is formed in an area of the sheet-like input/output unit that is sandwiched by the housing and the means for fixing includes at least one projection for fixing the sheet-like input/output unit by being inserted into the at least one hole of the sheet-like input/output unit.

4. An input/output system according to claim 1,

wherein the circuit board in the housing includes means for fixing a covering material of the wiring.

5. An input/output system according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of circuit boards are enclosed on top of one another inside the housing and the circuit board to which the wiring is connected is disposed at the bottom of the plurality of circuit boards.

6. An input/output system according to claim 1,

wherein the sheet-like input/output unit includes a data input region in which a plurality of piezoelectric sensors are disposed and a wiring region that is disposed along a side of the data input region.

7. An input/output system according to claim 1,

wherein the sheet-like input/output unit includes a data input/output region that is equipped with a function for inputting and/or outputting data and a wiring region that is disposed along a side of the data input/output region,

the wiring region includes first wiring that extends from the data input/output region to a first edge of the sheet-like input/output unit, and second wiring that is not connected to the data input/output region and extends from the first edge of the sheet-like input/output unit to a second edge opposite the first edge,

the connection box is disposed on the first edge, and

the first wiring and the second wiring are connected to the circuit board.

8. An input/output system according to claim 7,

wherein the second wiring is disposed on an opposite side of the first wiring to the data input/output region, and

on the first edge, the first wiring and the second wiring are disposed in parallel, and on the second edge, the second wiring is disposed at a position corresponding to a position of the first wiring on the first edge.

9. An input/output system according to claim 8,

wherein the first wiring on the first edge of another sheet-like input/output unit is connected to the second wiring on the second edge of the sheet-like input/output unit.

10. An input/output system according to claim 8,

wherein third wiring that is not connected to the data input/output region, that extends from the first edge to the second edge of the sheet-like input/output unit, and that is connected to the circuit board is also disposed in the wiring region,

the third wiring is disposed on an opposite side of the second wiring to the data input/output region, the first wiring, the second wiring and the third wiring are disposed in parallel on the first edge, and on the second edge, the third wiring is disposed at a position corresponding to a position of the second wiring on the first edge.

11. A connection box that has a housing, the housing being attached to an edge of a sheet-like input/output unit that includes wiring so as to sandwich the sheet-like input/output unit and for internally housing a circuit board to which the wiring is connected,

wherein the housing includes:

a slit through which the sheet-like input/output unit passes and whose upper and lower edges are curved shapes; and

means for fixing the sheet-like input/output unit that is disposed inside to the slit.

12. A connection box according to claim 11,

wherein the means for fixing is disposed on an inside of the housing.

13. A connection box according to claim 11,

wherein the means for fixing includes at least one projection for fixing the sheet-like input/output unit by being inserted into at least one hole of the sheet-like input/output unit.

14. A connection box according to claim 11,

wherein one edge, out of the upper and lower edges of the slit, is composed of a sealing part that is elastic.

15. A sheet-like input/output unit includes a data input/output region that is equipped with a function for inputting and/or outputting data and a wiring region that is disposed along at least one side of the data input/output region,

the wiring region includes first wiring that extends from the data input/output region to a first edge of the sheet-like input/output unit, and second wiring that is not connected to the data input/output region and extends from the first edge of the sheet-like input/output unit to a second edge.

16. An input/output unit according to claim 15,

wherein the second wiring is disposed on an opposite side of the first wiring to the data input/output region, and

on the first edge, the first wiring and the second wiring are disposed in parallel, and on the second edge, the second wiring is disposed at a position corresponding to a position of the first wiring on the first edge.

17. An input/output unit according to claim 16,

wherein the second wiring on the second edge of the sheet-like input/output unit is connected to first wiring on the first edge of another sheet-like input/output unit.

18. An input/output unit according to claim 16,

wherein third wiring that is not connected to the data input/output region, and that extends from the first edge to the second edge of the sheet-like input/output unit is also disposed in the wiring region,

the third wiring is disposed on an opposite side of the second wiring to the data input/output region, the first wiring, the second wiring and the third wiring are disposed in parallel on the first edge, and on the second edge the third wiring is disposed at a position corresponding to a position of the second wiring on the first edge.

19. An input/output unit according to claim 15,

wherein at corresponding positions on opposite edges, curved cuts are formed.

20. An input/output unit according to claim 15,

wherein a plurality of piezoelectric sensors are disposed in the data input/output region.